San Diego Symphony Travels to Mexico

On November 2, Payare and the San Diego Symphony travel south of the border to perform at the Centro Cultural Tijuana (CECUT). Part of CECUT’s annual Día de los Muertos celebration, the program comprises Strauss’s Also sprach Zarathustra, David Chesky’s Abreu Danzas and Gabriela Ortiz’s Kauyumari. The free concert on November 2 will be the only time the full orchestra has performed in Mexico since a 1992 concert in Chichen Itza in the Yucatan.

Founded in 1982, CECUT is the institution that concentrates the widest and most diverse cultural offerings in Mexico’s northwest region, and the only infrastructure of Mexico’s Ministry of Culture outside the country’s capital. The orchestra’s performance in November marks the beginning of an effort between CECUT, the Cultural Ministry Offices of Mexico and the San Diego Symphony to build a long-standing collaborative partnership, especially considering the short distance between the two groups.

On performing with the orchestra in Mexico, Payare commented: “We’re beyond thrilled that we’re going to be bringing the full orchestra for the first time to Tijuana on a very special day, which is Día de los Muertos in Mexico. The program is a dynamic mix of repertoire that will show off the wonderful abilities of our players and contribute to the celebratory spirit of the holiday. This will be an opportunity to bond with our friends across the border, and personally meaningful for me to cel